Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders

for MV and LV MCC switchgears
Proper relay selection
Selection of proper relay is one of the most important stages to have a reliable network. In this article, selection of
relay for incoming and outgoing feeders for LV switchgears (motor control centers) and MV switchgear up to 33kV
has been discussed.

Selection of relay for incoming and outgoing feeders for LV and MV switchgear (up to 33kV) - photo credit: Volta US

The relay selected for this project is illustrated by figures in this article and overall views of single line diagram are
shown below. Note that described incomers and feeders per LV switchgears are shown in shown in different colours.

Contents:
1. Low voltage switchgears
1. Downstream switchgear of power distribution transformers (PC 11-01-PC-01)
A. Incoming feeder
B. Outgoing feeders
2. Motor control center switchgears (MCC 11-01-MC-01 & MCC 11-01-MC-02)
A. Incoming feeders
B. Motor type feeders
2. Medium voltage switchgear (POWER CENTER 11-01-MS-01)
1. Distribution feeders
2. Transformer feeders
3. Medium voltage motor protections

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears
Part of the single line diagram of oil and gas facility showing medium voltage switchgear and low voltage motor control
centers (MCCs)

1. Low voltage switchgears

1.1. Downstream switchgear of power distribution transformers (POWER CENTER 11-01-

PC-01)

A) Incoming feeder

The minimum protections for incoming feeders of these switchgears are as follows:
1. Instantaneous overcurrent (ANSI CODE-50)
2. Time overcurrent (ANSI CODE-51)
3. Time earth fault (ANSI CODE-51N)

The tripping commands of Buchholz relay and oil temperature of power transformer shall be applied to opening
mechanism of incoming circuit breaker. The rated current of current transformers shall be sized in according to the
rated current of power transformer.

The under-voltage (27) and restricted earth fault protections (REF-64) shall be considered (if these functions were
mentioned in design criteria of project).

In case the transformer neutral point get isolated from the earth, iinsulation monitoring or residual voltage
protections shall be substituted instead of time earth fault (51 N) protection.

In figure 1, the relays selected for LV panels and transformers are presented:

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

Figure 1 – LV incoming feeders’ protections

B) Outgoing feeders

For protection of outgoing feeders, the instantaneous overcurrent protection (50) should generally be considered.
The nominal current of protection device (molded case circuit breaker or HRC fuse) shall be coordinated according
to technical specification of outgoing cable.

If the outgoing feeders should feed the panels and they are installed in hazardous or fire risk area the explosion
proof panels must be used.

In addition to the above mentioned protection, the time earth fault protection (51N) with sensitivity of 300 mA
needs to be added as well.

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

1.2. Motor control center (MCC) switchgears (MCC 11-01-MC-01 and MCC 11-01-MC-02)

A) Incoming feeders:

If the nominal current of feeder is equal or greater than 630A, the necessary protections of incoming circuit breaker
should be instantaneous and time overcurrent (ANSI-50, 51).

But in case the above mentioned protections have been foreseen in upstream feeder (i.e.; outgoing feeder of power
distribution center which feeds the motor control center switchgear) or where the nominal current of circuit breaker
exists with less than 630A, then the upstream protections could be considered for incoming feeder.

For protection of control transformer, the required protections shall be GL type with fuses in primary side and MCCB
switches in secondary side of control transformer.

It should be noted that, most of the control circuits are generally isolated from the earth and in order to pr event
double earth fault, the installation of insulation monitoring relay with alarm signal are recommended in
secondary side of control transformers.

B) Motor type feeders:

Minimum protections of feeders which feed directly the electrical motors are as follows:

Short circuit or instantaneous overcurrent protection (50) which can be provided by HRC (High Rupture Capacity)
fuses or by magnetic releases of molded case circuit breakers (MCCB).

Overcurrent protection could be provided by thermal overload relay (bi-metal) or with thermal release of
the motor protection circuit breaker (MPCB).

Selection of the type of protection devices should be based on basic design of the project. If the method of
motor start up is a “direct on line” (D.O.L), but the mechanical load has large inertia with long starting times (more
than 15-20 sec.) then the type of overload relay (Bi-metal) should be long starting time.

There are different ways/methods for protection against phase failure as follows:
1. The first one is to use sensitive phase sequence voltage relay
2. The second method is to use new thermal overload relays (bimetals) with phase failure function (this method
is considered very cost effective and reasonable economically)
3. The third method is to use HRC fuse type feeders with fuse-failure contacts against short circuits. Fuse failure
contact in control circuits is applied in order to open the power circuits
4. Finally, installing miniature circuit breaker with a rating of lower than the rating of power fuses in parallel with
fuses is recommended.

In the last case above, three phases MCB shall have auxiliary contacts in order to apply in control circuit for opening
the main contactor of motor starter.

When one of the power fuses is failed, a large current will pass through one phase of parallel MCB’s and since the
rating of MCB is much lower than the nominal current of power circuit, the MCB will consequently trip and its
auxiliary contact will open the power circuit of motor starter.

NOTE! Meanwhile, it should be noted that the short circuit capacity of selected MCB must be coordinated with the
short circuit current of the network at the point of installation of MCB.

Nowadays, using of MPCB (motor protection circuit breaker) which has integrated functions of the overload, short
circuit and phase fault protection is common.

Thermal protection of stator windings and bearings temperature of motors with rated output power of 100 kW
should be anticipated if the above mentioned protections are predicted in the basic design documents or in client
standards.

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears
The method of detection and indication of over temperature of motor windings and bearings here is based on RTD
sensors. The protection relay should have sufficient input channels for all windings and bearings RTD’s as well as
having sufficient protection of motor windings with small output power.

For sufficient protection, we must install more sensitive sensors and PTC inside the motor windings. This type of
protection is usually used for motors with independent separate windings (multi speed motors) where the
protection of motor windings could not be provided by single thermal overload relay.

The faulty contacts of PTC or RTD type relays should de-energize the control circuit of motor starter in main
contactor coil. In the figure 2 protections of LV motors is shown.

Figure 2 – LV motors’ protections

2. Medium voltage switchgear (POWER CENTER 11-01-MS-01)

2.1. Distribution feeders

The following protections are generally considered for medium voltage outgoing feeders which feed the
downstream medium voltage switchgears:
1. Instantaneous overcurrent (ANSI CODE-50)
2. Time overcurrent (ANSI CODE-51)
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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears
3. Time earth fault (ANSI CODE-51N)

It is important to note that since the neutral point of distribution transformer networks (HV / MV) are grounded by
neutral grounding resistors (considering that amplitude of ground fault current is lower than the symmetrical three
phase or phase to phase fault), therefore, the time earth fault (51N) protection could generally be used and the
relay setting can be implemented with better coordination.

In some certain conditions, for better reliability and continuation of electric power source, the outgoing feeders
should be operated in parallel configuration and for the same purpose, it is necessary to install directional
overcurrent protection in addition to the above mentioned protections.

Meanwhile, for incoming feeders of medium voltage distribution switchgears, the undervoltage protection (27)
should be predicted in order to apply trip command to outgoing feeders.

In addition, as shown in Figure 3, the trip circuit supervision, Relay 74, must be provided to assure continuity of
circuit.

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

Figure 3 – MV incoming feeders’ protections

2.2. Transformer feeders

The following protections should be foreseen for the above mentioned feeders:
1. Protection of primary windings of transformer against short circuit fault with instantaneous overcurrent relay
(ANSI-50) or medium voltage fuses for all outgoing transformer feeder.
2. Protection of primary windings of transformer against overcurrent fault with time overcurrent relay (ANSI-51)
and time earth fault relay (ANSI-51N) for power distribution transformers with output rating of greater than
630kVA.
3. Protection of transformer windings against overtemperature by using oil type thermometer for power
transformers with a rating greater than 400kVA.
4. Protection of transformer windings against internal fault (electric arc between windings and winding with core
or body of transformer) by Buchholz relay for power transformer with rating equal or greater than 400kVA.
5. Restricted earth fault protections (ANSI-64) for transformers with ratings from 2500kVA up to 8000kVA must
be considered.

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears
6. Differential protection (ANSI-87) for power transformers with ratings equal or greater than 10000kVA must be
provided as well.
7. Internal overpressure protection is needed for transformers without oil expansion tank or power transformers
with output rating equal to or greater than 10000kVA.
8. Tap changer protections is necessary for transformers which are equipped with on-load voltage regulator (OLTC)
in according to vendor recommendations.

Please see Figure 4 for some relays selected for this project.

Figure 4 – MV Transformers’ protections

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

2.3. Medium voltage motor protections:

Protections of induction motors (squirrel cage or wound rotor), which are generally used in energy industry are
as follows:
1. Over temperature protection of windings and bearings of motors by RTD sensors and temperature monitor relay
for motors with an output power equal or greater than 250 kW.

It should be noted that installation of this protection for motors with an output power between 150 kW up to
250 kW is optional based on each project requirements.
2. Protection against short circuit faults by installation of instantaneous overcurrent relay for all motors.
3. Protection against overload faults by relay 49 (thermal relay) with facilities to limit number of starts in a period
of time in order to reduce the cumulative heat effects on motor windings.
The modern microprocessor multi function relays, usually has all necessary functions for motor protections and
the function 49 which is the most important protection of the motors, hence the instantaneous overcurrent
protection (51) would not be essential for motor protection.
4. Protection of motors against rotor temperature rise which is caused by negative sequence current with
circulating speed of two times nominal frequency (with respect to rotor). Eddy currents heat should be
protected by 46 relay (reverse phase or phase balance).
5. In “wound rotor type motors”, if any fault happens in rotor systems, (i.e., circulation of electrolyte or any other
problem in rotor contacts with windings), according to motor manufacturer’s specific design, the motor start
up command will be blocked and the relay with function (51LR) shall be used to protect motor.
In case of any rotor failure during normal running, this relay must trip the motor feeder as well.
6. Protection against earth fault (51N) by using core balance CT or digital relays that sum up secondary currents
of CTs on each phase.
7. Protection against bearings vibration for motors with rated power greater than 1500 kW shall be provided with
vibration monitoring relay.
8. It is advisable to use lock out relay for medium voltage transformer and motor type feeders in order to block
the closing command of breaker before fault removal.

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Selection of Relay for Incoming and Outgoing feeders for MV and LV MCC switchgears

Figure 5 – MV motors’ protections

Reference // Design of Electrical Power Supply System in an Oil and Gas refinery by Reza Vafamehr (Department of
Energy and Environment; Division of Electric Power Engineering at CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
https://electrical-engineering-portal.com/relay-selection-incoming-outgoing-feeders

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